Marcia Schaefer, age 66 of Wall Lake, IA, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her children, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
   Born on September 23, 1959, in Carroll, IA, Marcia was the daughter of Frank and Norma Jean (Schulte) Gehling. She was raised on a farm south of Carroll and went to Holy Spirit grade school and Kuemper High School, graduating in 1978. She attended nursing school at JEMH School of Nursing in Council Bluffs, IA, graduating as a Registered Nurse in 1981.
   On June 19, 1981, she was married to Dale Schaefer at Holy Spirit Church in Carroll. They were blessed with four children, Alison, Rebecca, Joseph, and Joshua.
   Dale and Marcia started their home in Council Bluffs then moved to Pacific Junction, IA, where Marcia worked as an ICU/CCU nurse at JEMH Hospital and Dale worked for Breda Telephone Company. They then moved to Ruthven, IA, where Marcia worked at the Spencer Hospital  and taught nursing at ILCC in Emmetsburg. Dale became the manager of the Ruthven Telephone Company. They then moved to Odebolt, IA, where Marcia worked for the Odebolt Nursing Home and also taught at WITCC while Dale managed the Sac County Mutual Telephone Company in Odebolt. From 2001-2011 Marcia worked for Stewart Memorial Hospital managing home health and hospice, and then from 2011 to 2020, she managed homecare, hospice, and public health at St. Anthony’s in Carroll. She had worked at St. Anthony’s as a health care aide in high school, so this was like going home. Marcia retired as manager and continued to work as needed, also assisting at Twilight Acres Nursing Home in Wall Lake until she got sick in July/August of 2024.
   Marcia was proud that all her babies were born in different hospitals; Ali at JEMH, Becky at Emmetsburg, Joey at Spencer, and Josh at St. Anthony’s.
   Dale passed away May 2, 2009, while living on the acreage near Odebolt. Marcia started dating Jeff Scott and they were engaged in the fall of 2011 and moved to Wall Lake in the fall of 2012. They enjoyed many trips together.
   Marcia was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wall Lake and the Lions Club. She was also a hospice volunteer. She worked as an R.N. for forty-four years and enjoyed working with patients. Marcia was proud to be named the nursing school banquet queen of 1981, and being named one of Iowa’s 100 great nurses of 2020. She was also the Kuemper High School prom queen in 1978.
   Marcia loved gardening and anything plant related. She enjoyed her fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, going to many baptisms, first communions, confirmations, graduations, and of course all the sporting events such as wrestling, basketball, football, volleyball, soccer, baseball, and softball. She loved her children and grandchildren immensely going on many trips to see them!
   Survivors include her four children, Alison (Kevin) Schroeder of Lake View, Rebecca (Taylor) Schroeder of Atlantic, Joseph (Laura) Schaefer of Elmhurst, IL, and Joshua (Abbie) of Norwalk; fiancé Jeff Scott of Wall Lake; fourteen grandchildren: Kylie (Kurt Krager), Emma (Caleb Villhauer), Logan, Makenna, Madison, Keaton, Ryleigh, Isabella, Gage, Hudson, Jackson, Cody, James, and Boden; three great-grandchildren: Lainey and Brekyn Krager, and Lottie Villhauer; sisters Shari Coulter (Charlie), Jackie Pudenz (Randy); brothers Denny, and her twin Mark (Stacie) Gehling; brother-in-laws John (Julie) Schaefer, Leland Schaefer, Allen (Geraldine) Schaefer; sisters-in-law Corlys Gehling, Faye (Bill) Russell, Jean (Dale) Pottebaum, and Kristy Schaefer; many cousins, other extended family members and friends.
   Marcia was preceded in death by her husband Dale; parents Frank and Jean Gehling; brother Jerry Gehling; sister-in-law Patty Gehling; parents-in-law Gerald and Reva Schaefer; brothers-in-law Mike and Neil Schaefer; nephews Nicholas Gehling and Billy Pottebaum; niece Nikki Schaefer; and great-niece Samantha Gehling.